PC Memoirs

The one brand that pops up in our minds when talking about computer operating systems is Microsoft Windows; such is the dominance and brand power of Microsoft’s Windows in the operating system arena. Dominance can sometimes be a dilutive word when describing Windows, because it was certainly the groundbreaker in the PC operating systems space. It would be right to say that Microsoft’s Windows operating system series for computers and servers empowered the growth of Microsoft Corp. as a prodigious technology company.

Right from its first commercial computer operating system Windows 1.0 to the latest successful Windows 7 Ultimate version, Microsoft has wielded its leading position in the market. The Windows XP and Windows 7 versions were a massive hit among computer, notebook, and laptop fanciers. Though there were notable drawbacks in the latest Windows 7 Ultimate version, Microsoft soon buckled up to launch the Windows 8 version with an objective to provide flawless operating systems for PCs, laptops, and portable devices.

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Cloud based storage is widely used to protect the files in a computer. Dropbox is a cloud storage that secures files and folders. SSL is used by Cloud files to maintain secure and encrypted communication. Passwords, usernames or any other personal information cannot be read by a hacker. Users of cloud computing are given an authentication code and API access key which remain a secret.

Recently, there was a security flaw at Dropbox where any one was able to log into any account using any password. Dropbox users faced a major crisis. The files stored in Dropbox do not store data in an encrypted form. The data in Dropbox was easily stolen when the storage device was hacked. Hence the user needs to encrypt the data before transmission.

There are various types of encryption software that can be chosen according to the application you use. Let us take a look at two of the popular ones.

“TrueCrypt” is encryption software that can be used with Windows, Linux and Macintosh. If you are a Dropbox user, an encrypted container is necessary to store the files. The containers can be increased in size or a new container can be opened any time. Installing the software is pretty simple when the prompts are properly followed. Run the software and locate the Create Volume Button. Using the default options, create an encrypted file container with a standard TrueCrypt volume. Remain extra careful that the new container is not created in the Dropbox folder when it is opened. A secure and complex password needs to be created with a maximum of 64 characters. Move the data container to the Dropbox folder. In order to sync the data with the dropbox, move back the data container. However, many believe that Truecrypt does not serve the purpose well.

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Windows 8 has many new features like Metro Style Apps and Microsoft Account Integration. Now we are hearing that there is something missing- The Start Button! It used to be located in the Metro User Interface and provided the user access to the settings panel, devices, search options and share options. Now you have a ‘start screen’ where with the mouse or your touchpad, you can switch between the desktop and the Metro UI with no trouble at all. This means a better seamless experience.

If the news that a Windows staple from 1995 will no longer be seen is not comforting to you, then you will be happy to know that the ‘super bar’ has all the features from Windows 7. What you might also like is the ramped up ‘charms bar’ with its quick access icons. You could consider it a replacement for the missing Start button since it serves the same purpose.

The reason behind the move is the company’s belief that the Start menu’s scope is limited and that it is not a good fit for better applications usage. The start screen is not a mere standby for the Start menu but instead intended to be a ‘launcher and switcher’ when it comes to apps, a sort of bulletin board filled with handy notifications that can be personalized to fit your needs. With the screen, you get access not only to applications but also to news about events, people and activities. Since the screen comes with the customization option, users now have more control over tools and how they can be used in groups with commonality. Once done, the apps resemble a folder and you can move from one group to another.

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Ever wondered why data recovery professionals are in demand? Simple…if there is one inescapable truth about the data stored on our hard drives, it is this– you’ve no idea how important and valuable it is until you lose access to it.

Like it or not, we live in world today where the buck often starts and stops with cutting-edge technology. In fact, we have become so reliant on technology that our day to day life can come to a standstill, owing to the most common of failures that can make critical data inaccessible. From basic domestic living to high-end corporate environments, we store our lives( figuratively) and other things that are important to us in these tiny little boxes of fragile components – then we wonder what on Earth to do ‘when it all goes south’.

Truth is, you’ll probably have come across thousands of DIY programs and guides, showing just how you can have a go at the job all by yourself. But then, we’re dealing with very critical data day in and day out, and when the ‘disaster’ strikes you need to make sure you recover the lost data safely and securely. Read on to find why professional data recovery is, by far and wide, the best and the safest choice.

Loss of data can lead to:

• Monetary Loss • Legal Issues • Inability to Replace Precious Archives • Loss of Trust in Business Environments

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I recently received a call from an individual purporting to be from “Windows Support” informing me that my PC was sending notifications to their support center and that I had a virus that they would like to help me to fix. Now, this was an obvious scam but it’s interesting to note the techniques that they used. First, they guided me to various registry keys. They repeated one of the “clsid” entries to me and asked me to confirm if that was what I could see on screen. Now obviously it was, because that particular entry is the same on all PCs, but to a non technical user, this would provide further credibility to the claim that they were being called from a genuine company or that the PC had in fact been transmitting an ‘ID number’ to this company.

They then guided me to the event log viewer, and asked me to look at the application log. Of course, this contains a number of errors and warnings as is to be expected, however they pointed out to be that these were all the viruses present on the PC. To gauge their reaction I actually told them that I’d just clicked ‘Clear Log’ and that everything had now been cleared and so the PC was now clear of viruses, but the scammer told me that they would reappear again as they had not been correctly repaired.

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